The last thing I ever expected in my life was a phone call from my sister asking me to look into her new business and try her product. Like I’ve mentioned in the past, she and I were always very skeptical about the network marketing business model. We’d never seen anyone succeed at it before. We had only seen people waste their money month after month. But when she called me, she explained that her friend she had known for years had just started with this company and was indeed having real success. This changed my sister’s perception of MLM’s...
You might wonder why joining a network marketing company was such a push out of my comfort zone. I was never any good at marketing. In fact, I have always shied away from it simply because it never interested me. But it’s more than just a lack of interest. It really comes down to the fact that I’ve always worried that if I asked others for business, or favors, or help that I would inconvenience them; and the last thing I ever wanted to be was a nuisance. Add to that the very common personality trait we dentists have: we...
I titled my last post Taking an Unexpected Leap for a reason. The last thing I ever imagined myself doing was investing in a multi-level marketing company. In fact, even though I had never done it myself, I had quite a bit of MLM baggage. I actually hated the idea of it because what I knew about it made me feel uncomfortable. I never personally knew anyone who had succeeded. I was never really impressed by the products. They either seemed like questionable heath products with grandiose claims, or they were things anyone could just buy at the store. And...
I’ve been very busy behind the scenes working on my next project for the blog and deciding how to share it. What I love about having this blog is that it gives me the opportunity to take the search for my next career more lightly. Regardless of the outcome, it always results in more blogging material, which is a win for me either way. Because of this low-pressure approach, it reminds me that I don’t have to make a serious commitment until I’m sure. Every move I make is just a part of an experiment, a game. There is a...
If you are seriously thinking about making the move out of dentistry, don’t miss this next post. In the past I’ve shared some tips about how to break free emotionally, and today Rick from Rick’s Rome is back to share some great practical tips about how to get the process started. I know many of you loved reading his inspirational journey to find happiness, so here’s part 2 of his guest post on life after dentistry! ****** What about some practical advice for people looking to change? Well, every situation is different but there are a few things that you...
We’ve all heard that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, right? How do you turn the things you love into a career? I mean, I love food. I love eating. I love being healthy. I love sharing all of that with others. But how do you turn that into work? While I had a few ideas, I never knew how I could realistically do that. Starting the weight loss business allowed me to have a seamless transition out of patient care into a similar patient interaction in a different field. I knew,...
I’ve often used the analogy that my career in dentistry was like being in a relationship. At times you could say it was slightly abusive, and at times it was very supportive and loving. Whether those descriptions are a bit dramatic or not, one thing is true: we had a very strong bond. Dentistry was a huge part of me and it was hard to let go, even if I really wanted out. As I journey through this career change, that relationship analogy journeys on with me. I was married to dentistry. You could say it was my first long-term...
In the past year, I’ve heard from many readers that share my sentiments about practicing dentistry and wanting to change. There was one element that I hadn’t really thought about sharing until someone brought it to my attention. A while back, I received an email from a man whose wife followed my blog because she, too, was unhappy in dentistry. He mentioned that as the spouse, he occasionally stopped in to read it looking for some insight and advice. There’s a fine balance of how you can lend support but maintain certain boundaries, and be firm yet gentle about what you...
Changing my career was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. You might be surprised to hear that leaving Dentistry was much harder than getting into it. The process of entering the field took work and determination, but it went with the flow. It was what I was supposed to do. I felt proud and hopeful. However, leaving it was rebellious, and I was going against the flow. I felt ashamed and afraid. Because of the fear and the challenges involved, I made many excuses that I thought were valid. And dammit, they were important! But those...
In case you were still wondering… I didn’t win the Biggest Baddest Bucket List Competition. If I had, you would have heard about it right away, over and over. In fact, you’d probably be sick of me by now. While I’ve summarized my journey into and out of dentistry on this blog, I realize I haven’t shared much of how life has been “post-retirement.” It’s no secret that I believe it was the best decision I could have made for myself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, but it was right. I am finally content, and...
